A LITTLE BIT OF ‘SOMETHING’ IS BETTER THAN A WHOLE LOT OF ‘NOTHING’
Updated: Sep 29, 2023
Spring has officially sprung, and what better time to ‘spring into action’, than right now? Besides, we can’t hide behind the excuses of winter anymore…eeek. But your health and wellness journey doesn’t have to be daunting, or time consuming!
One of the most common excuses for not being able to exercise… “I don’t have the time”. Life IS busy, no doubt about it, but if health is your goal (and it should be, considering our body is our home, and we only have one of those), we need to make it a priority. And by ‘priority’, I don’t mean slogging it out for 2 hours a day in a class that you don’t enjoy, in a gym with hundreds of intimidating, sweating bodies… there are other ways… phew!
The importance of taking the ‘first step’
The hardest part of any fitness journey is taking the first step. No matter how tiny that first step is, take it! Then focus on the next step, and the next. It will get easier to do, requiring less effort to ‘get into it’. That is how consistency is created. The beauty of consistency lies in its ability to create momentum. When you take that first step, it sets off a domino effect. Your body gets accustomed to the routine, your energy levels soar, and you start craving those endorphins. Soon enough, exercise becomes an integral part of your life, making it easier to reach your fitness goals and live a healthier life in general.
What is the ‘recommended’ amount of exercise to be healthy?
According to the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care and The American Heart Association, the standard norm for adults aged 18-64 years, is to aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of structured exercise 5-7 days a week (a minimum of 150 minutes a week). Incorporating a variety of moderate and vigorous aerobic exercises, with strengthening and stretching sessions allows for well-rounded health benefits.
Can’t find 30 minutes? No problem, two 15-minute workouts or three 10-minute workouts can be just as effective. Remember, doing anything is better than doing nothing at all. So, let’s break it down even further…
Mini routines: Find a time in the day where you can do a mini exercise session. Short 5-, 10-, or 15-minute bursts of activity can prove very effective, and building a mini routine will help create space for longer, more structured sessions down the line.
Micro workouts: Break your exercise down into bite-sized chunks. Do a few minutes of stretching or bodyweight exercises during your lunch break or while waiting for dinner to cook (i.e. a fun challenge at work could be ‘push-ups or squat sessions every hour’ where you do as many in a minute as you can or compete against a colleague. If you stick to this, by the end of the day you would’ve done around 80+ squats/push ups).
Active commuting: If possible, walk or bike to work. If you use public transport, get off at a stop earlier and walk the rest of the way.
Take the stairs: Instead of using elevators or escalators, take the stairs whenever possible. It’s a great way to spike the heart rate and strengthen the muscles in your legs.
Dance party: Turn up the music and have a dance party while doing household chores. It's a fun way to burn calories and keep your spirits high.
Walking meetings: If your job allows, suggest walking meetings instead of sitting in a conference room. Fresh air and creative ideas often go hand in hand.
Family fitness: Make exercise a family affair. Go for a bike ride, play a game of tag, or take a weekend hike together. It's quality time and exercise rolled into one.
It doesn’t matter how you start, it just matters that you do. And don’t focus on how much you’re doing as you start out, rather try to find bite-sized portions of time in your day that you can dedicate to ‘movement’, and create consistency around that. Once you’re consistent with those habits, then you can increase the time, building momentum as you go. Slow and steady wins the race after all. Let's move towards a healthier, happier, stronger you, one step at a time.
